Hello, and welcome to this week's book review. The book I am reviewing this week is "Angelic Tails: True Stories of Heavenly Canine Companions" written by Joan Wester Anderson. In addition to this book, the author has written several other books on the subject of angels.
This book contains approximately 30 stories about how dogs have blessed the lives of those who they have come in contact with. The book could be read in one sitting, or you may want to take one story a day and make the book last for a month.
One of my favorite stories in the book is the story of St. Roch and the dog who helped him. The dog delivered food to St. Roch when the saint had contracted the plague. St. Roch was known for helping plague victims in the Middle Ages. When St. Roch recovered, he and the dog traveled around the country helping people.
I also really enjoyed the story about the priest whose Labrador Retriever went to church with him and became a church dog. The people of the congregation really enjoyed having the Labrador with them on a Sunday.
These are just two of the many wonderful stories in this collection. I think that almost anyone would enjoy reading this book, and I definitely recommend it.
I know from first hand experience that dogs can be sent to you to help you through the rough times. The Lord sent me my friend Toby to help me when I really needed a friend. I am glad that I was able to get a story published about my friend Toby in the anthology entitled "Nuturing Paws". This book is still available to order through Amazon if anyone is interested.
P.S. Today, they are calling for some bad storms in my part of the world. Would you please pray that these storms don't cause any problems for people around my part of the country? Thank you.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
Verses For the Week
I hope that everyone had a great Easter weekend. Services at my church were wonderful. Several people came to know Jesus, and 14 people were baptized. The readership for the Weekend Sermon this week is a little lower than usual. If you haven't had a chance to read the sermon, it was posted on Saturday this week. Here are this week's Bible memory verses.
Matthew 5:10 -- "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
I Corinthians 15:58 -- "Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
Matthew 5:10 -- "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
I Corinthians 15:58 -- "Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Weekend Sermon --"On the Third Day He Rose Again From the Dead."
Welcome to the Easter weekend edition of the the Weekend Sermon. Thank you for reading the post today. I hope that all of you have a wonderful Easter weekend.
This past week was was very busy. I've had to start with the lawn work already as it has been exceptionally warm here. Then, after the warm weather, it snowed one day. I am feeling a little bit better now, and I would just ask that you keep me in your prayers. I am still trying to find the right job for me all the while thankful that I have a job right now.
In prayer this week, please remember those in Belgium who were the victims of the horrific terrorist attack. Pray that those who are injured may recover, and pray that those who mourn will be comforted. Also pray for an end to terrorism. Pray for peace and justice in the world.
I would also ask that you pray for those in the southern United States who have experienced storm damage and flooding. Many people in Louisiana and Texas are still trying to recover.
During your prayer time this week, please remember to pray for the spread of the message of Jesus' love around the world. Let us pray for the nations of Gambia, Senegal, Tunisia and Bhutan this week.
For the past several weeks, we have been in a series of messages on the Apostles' Creed and what this important creed has to teach us about the important doctrines of our faith. I didn't plan it out this way, but on this Easter weekend we just happened to be at the section of the Creed that speaks about the Resurrection. The Creed states, "On the third day He rose again from the dead."
As we saw last week, and in the Good Friday message yesterday, Jesus died on the cross in order to save us from our sins. He bore our sins in His body that we might have redemption from sin. Jesus took the punishment that we deserved in order that we might be reconciled to God our Father.
Jesus died, and He was taken down from the cross and buried in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph was assisted by Nicodemus who had a conversation with Jesus that is recorded in John 3. Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus body with spices. Pilate then ordered that a stone be placed in front of Jesus' tomb and a seal be placed upon it. Roman soldiers were then placed at the tomb's entrance.
On the following Sunday morning, the Bible records that Mary Magdalene and some others came to the tomb to further prepare the body of Jesus for burial. When they came to the tomb, they found that the stone was rolled away and Jesus was not in the tomb.
There's something that I want to note at this point. Jesus had predicted and taught His disciples over and over again that He would be crucified and die. This had happened. Jesus also clearly taught His disciples that He would rise again from the dead three days later. Jesus called this the sign of Jonah in one of His teachings. Jesus said that just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and nights so must He be in the tomb for three days. Jesus clearly told His followers that He would rise again.
Here is what amazes me. No one seemed to believe what Jesus had said to them. Joseph and Nicodemus used many pounds of spices to bury Jesus. The women coming to the tomb were bringing more items to prepare the body of Jesus for His burial. The disciples were in hiding fearing for their own lives. None of them were expecting Jesus to rise again from the grave on Easter morning. It's no wonder that Jesus at times became rather upset with His followers while He was here on earth. Sometimes, we aren't any better. We don't believe the things the Lord has spoken to us as well. Jesus has clearly told us that He is coming again. Are we living in such a way that we are expecting the return of the Lord Jesus at any moment?
The Bible says that angels announced that Jesus was not in the grave. He had risen just as He had said. Later, Jesus would appear to Mary Magdalene. After speaking with her Lord, she would rush to tell the disciples that Jesus was alive and risen.
I believe with all of my heart that Jesus rose bodily from the grave. It was not just His spirit that appeared to the disciples. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith. Without the bodily resurrection of Jesus, our faith is in vain and we have no hope.
When Jesus died on the cross, He dealt with sin itself. When Jesus rose bodily from the grave, He conquered the consequences of sin. Sin brought about death. The reason that death exists in this world is because sin came into God's perfect creation. The wages of sin is death. The gift of God is eternal life. This is possible because Jesus was the victor over death, hell and the grave. He has risen, and He lives forevermore.
Because Jesus rose again from the dead, those of us who have placed our faith and trust in Him do not need to fear death. Jesus is the victor. Those of us who have known fellow believers who have died do not have to grieve as those who have no hope. Because He lives, we can rest assured that those who have died in Christ are with Jesus right now. They are in His very presence. One day, when we pass from this life, we will be reunited with our friends and loved ones in Heaven because Jesus was the victor over death on Easter morning.
This fills me with Easter joy. I've lost so many over the last few years. My parents have both died, and all of my closest friends have now passed away. I know that I will see them all again because they are with Jesus. They all had asked Jesus to forgive them of their sins. They believed that Jesus rose again from the dead. They all had made Jesus Christ the Lord of their lives.
Some people try to discount the resurrection of Jesus and explain it away as a myth. I believe that the best evidence that Jesus really did rise bodily from the grave is the evidence from the followers of Jesus. When they saw the risen Lord, it changed their lives completely. All of them were willing to face persecution, and all but one faced death for the sake of Jesus. They would not have done this if they knew Jesus was not alive.
They had experienced the risen Lord. They knew He was alive, and they staked their eternity upon that fact.
I want to tell you today that Jesus is risen. You can have a personal relationship with the risen Lord. You no longer have to fear death because Jesus is alive.
In order to have a personal relationship with Christ you must recognize the fact that you are a sinner and you need a Savior. You must believe that Jesus died in order to save you from your sins. You need to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins. Then you must confess that Jesus is risen from the dead. Then commit to Jesus that you will make Him the Lord of your life from this moment on. If you will do this today, Jesus will come into your heart and become your Savior and Lord. You will have a relationship with the Risen Lord that will last throughout all of eternity.
This week, we will back to our regular schedule on the blog. I will post the memory verses on Monday and a review on Wednesday. The sermon will appear on Friday, and we will continue our Apostles' Creed study. May God bless you all. Amen.
This past week was was very busy. I've had to start with the lawn work already as it has been exceptionally warm here. Then, after the warm weather, it snowed one day. I am feeling a little bit better now, and I would just ask that you keep me in your prayers. I am still trying to find the right job for me all the while thankful that I have a job right now.
In prayer this week, please remember those in Belgium who were the victims of the horrific terrorist attack. Pray that those who are injured may recover, and pray that those who mourn will be comforted. Also pray for an end to terrorism. Pray for peace and justice in the world.
I would also ask that you pray for those in the southern United States who have experienced storm damage and flooding. Many people in Louisiana and Texas are still trying to recover.
During your prayer time this week, please remember to pray for the spread of the message of Jesus' love around the world. Let us pray for the nations of Gambia, Senegal, Tunisia and Bhutan this week.
For the past several weeks, we have been in a series of messages on the Apostles' Creed and what this important creed has to teach us about the important doctrines of our faith. I didn't plan it out this way, but on this Easter weekend we just happened to be at the section of the Creed that speaks about the Resurrection. The Creed states, "On the third day He rose again from the dead."
As we saw last week, and in the Good Friday message yesterday, Jesus died on the cross in order to save us from our sins. He bore our sins in His body that we might have redemption from sin. Jesus took the punishment that we deserved in order that we might be reconciled to God our Father.
Jesus died, and He was taken down from the cross and buried in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph was assisted by Nicodemus who had a conversation with Jesus that is recorded in John 3. Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus body with spices. Pilate then ordered that a stone be placed in front of Jesus' tomb and a seal be placed upon it. Roman soldiers were then placed at the tomb's entrance.
On the following Sunday morning, the Bible records that Mary Magdalene and some others came to the tomb to further prepare the body of Jesus for burial. When they came to the tomb, they found that the stone was rolled away and Jesus was not in the tomb.
There's something that I want to note at this point. Jesus had predicted and taught His disciples over and over again that He would be crucified and die. This had happened. Jesus also clearly taught His disciples that He would rise again from the dead three days later. Jesus called this the sign of Jonah in one of His teachings. Jesus said that just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and nights so must He be in the tomb for three days. Jesus clearly told His followers that He would rise again.
Here is what amazes me. No one seemed to believe what Jesus had said to them. Joseph and Nicodemus used many pounds of spices to bury Jesus. The women coming to the tomb were bringing more items to prepare the body of Jesus for His burial. The disciples were in hiding fearing for their own lives. None of them were expecting Jesus to rise again from the grave on Easter morning. It's no wonder that Jesus at times became rather upset with His followers while He was here on earth. Sometimes, we aren't any better. We don't believe the things the Lord has spoken to us as well. Jesus has clearly told us that He is coming again. Are we living in such a way that we are expecting the return of the Lord Jesus at any moment?
The Bible says that angels announced that Jesus was not in the grave. He had risen just as He had said. Later, Jesus would appear to Mary Magdalene. After speaking with her Lord, she would rush to tell the disciples that Jesus was alive and risen.
I believe with all of my heart that Jesus rose bodily from the grave. It was not just His spirit that appeared to the disciples. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith. Without the bodily resurrection of Jesus, our faith is in vain and we have no hope.
When Jesus died on the cross, He dealt with sin itself. When Jesus rose bodily from the grave, He conquered the consequences of sin. Sin brought about death. The reason that death exists in this world is because sin came into God's perfect creation. The wages of sin is death. The gift of God is eternal life. This is possible because Jesus was the victor over death, hell and the grave. He has risen, and He lives forevermore.
Because Jesus rose again from the dead, those of us who have placed our faith and trust in Him do not need to fear death. Jesus is the victor. Those of us who have known fellow believers who have died do not have to grieve as those who have no hope. Because He lives, we can rest assured that those who have died in Christ are with Jesus right now. They are in His very presence. One day, when we pass from this life, we will be reunited with our friends and loved ones in Heaven because Jesus was the victor over death on Easter morning.
This fills me with Easter joy. I've lost so many over the last few years. My parents have both died, and all of my closest friends have now passed away. I know that I will see them all again because they are with Jesus. They all had asked Jesus to forgive them of their sins. They believed that Jesus rose again from the dead. They all had made Jesus Christ the Lord of their lives.
Some people try to discount the resurrection of Jesus and explain it away as a myth. I believe that the best evidence that Jesus really did rise bodily from the grave is the evidence from the followers of Jesus. When they saw the risen Lord, it changed their lives completely. All of them were willing to face persecution, and all but one faced death for the sake of Jesus. They would not have done this if they knew Jesus was not alive.
They had experienced the risen Lord. They knew He was alive, and they staked their eternity upon that fact.
I want to tell you today that Jesus is risen. You can have a personal relationship with the risen Lord. You no longer have to fear death because Jesus is alive.
In order to have a personal relationship with Christ you must recognize the fact that you are a sinner and you need a Savior. You must believe that Jesus died in order to save you from your sins. You need to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins. Then you must confess that Jesus is risen from the dead. Then commit to Jesus that you will make Him the Lord of your life from this moment on. If you will do this today, Jesus will come into your heart and become your Savior and Lord. You will have a relationship with the Risen Lord that will last throughout all of eternity.
This week, we will back to our regular schedule on the blog. I will post the memory verses on Monday and a review on Wednesday. The sermon will appear on Friday, and we will continue our Apostles' Creed study. May God bless you all. Amen.
Friday, March 25, 2016
Good Friday -- "It is Finished"
Today is Good Friday on the Christian calendar. It is the day when Jesus died on the cross to redeem us from our sins.
When I reflect on all of the Good Friday events, something that has struck me is all that Jesus went through for us. At any time, Jesus could have called ten thousand angels to deliver Him from what He was enduring. However, Jesus suffered all that He went through for you and for me that we might be redeemed.
The events started with Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked that if it was possible that He might be delivered from what He was about to face. But Jesus prayed, "Not my will, but Thine be done."
Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested. He was then taken before various officials and put on trial. Jesus stood before Annas, Caiaphas, Herod and Pontius Pilate. Before each of these officials, Jesus was ridiculed and mocked.
Jesus did not try to speak on His own behalf in spite of what others said about Him. As stated in Isaiah 53, Jesus was like a lamb led to his death.
Our Lord was beaten and mocked by the Roman soldiers. He was forced to carry His own cross to Calvary. Then, He was crucified.
While He was on the cross, Jesus bore our sins in His body. He suffered and died for us that we might be saved.
Then, Jesus said the words, "It is finished." He bowed His head and gave up His life.
What does it mean that Jesus said "It is finished"? I want to focus on three things.
First of all, Jesus' life was at an end. He had accomplished what He came to earth to do. He came to live a holy life as our perfect example. In all points where the first Adam failed, the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, succeeded. Jesus had been the Lamb of God who had taken away the sins of the world. This part of His work was over.
At this time, the suffering of Jesus was over. Jesus went through so much suffering while He was on earth. We focused on this a couple of weeks ago in the Weekend Sermon. Now, Jesus' earthly suffering was finished.
I believe that the greatest meaning of the words, "It is finished" lies in the fact that Jesus was stating that He had accomplished the work of redemption. On the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the punishment that we deserved for sin. He took our sins upon Himself, and His shed blood atoned for our sins. Jesus completed the work of redemption on the cross.
As you reflect this Good Friday on what Jesus suffered and on His work of redemption on the cross, please reflect on what you have done with Jesus. Have you accepted Him into your life as Savior and Lord? Have you called on Him to forgive you of your sins and save your soul? If you have not, I hope that you will call upon the name of the Lord and be saved today. Jesus loves you. He wants you to come to Him and receive the eternal life that He offers.
During your prayer time during the next couple of days, please pray that many people will hear the message of the Gospel this Easter weekend. Pray that many will accept the Lord Jesus Christ into their lives.
Tomorrow, I will post the Weekend Sermon. We will celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ is alive, and He lives forevermore. May God bless you all. Amen.
When I reflect on all of the Good Friday events, something that has struck me is all that Jesus went through for us. At any time, Jesus could have called ten thousand angels to deliver Him from what He was enduring. However, Jesus suffered all that He went through for you and for me that we might be redeemed.
The events started with Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked that if it was possible that He might be delivered from what He was about to face. But Jesus prayed, "Not my will, but Thine be done."
Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested. He was then taken before various officials and put on trial. Jesus stood before Annas, Caiaphas, Herod and Pontius Pilate. Before each of these officials, Jesus was ridiculed and mocked.
Jesus did not try to speak on His own behalf in spite of what others said about Him. As stated in Isaiah 53, Jesus was like a lamb led to his death.
Our Lord was beaten and mocked by the Roman soldiers. He was forced to carry His own cross to Calvary. Then, He was crucified.
While He was on the cross, Jesus bore our sins in His body. He suffered and died for us that we might be saved.
Then, Jesus said the words, "It is finished." He bowed His head and gave up His life.
What does it mean that Jesus said "It is finished"? I want to focus on three things.
First of all, Jesus' life was at an end. He had accomplished what He came to earth to do. He came to live a holy life as our perfect example. In all points where the first Adam failed, the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, succeeded. Jesus had been the Lamb of God who had taken away the sins of the world. This part of His work was over.
At this time, the suffering of Jesus was over. Jesus went through so much suffering while He was on earth. We focused on this a couple of weeks ago in the Weekend Sermon. Now, Jesus' earthly suffering was finished.
I believe that the greatest meaning of the words, "It is finished" lies in the fact that Jesus was stating that He had accomplished the work of redemption. On the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the punishment that we deserved for sin. He took our sins upon Himself, and His shed blood atoned for our sins. Jesus completed the work of redemption on the cross.
As you reflect this Good Friday on what Jesus suffered and on His work of redemption on the cross, please reflect on what you have done with Jesus. Have you accepted Him into your life as Savior and Lord? Have you called on Him to forgive you of your sins and save your soul? If you have not, I hope that you will call upon the name of the Lord and be saved today. Jesus loves you. He wants you to come to Him and receive the eternal life that He offers.
During your prayer time during the next couple of days, please pray that many people will hear the message of the Gospel this Easter weekend. Pray that many will accept the Lord Jesus Christ into their lives.
Tomorrow, I will post the Weekend Sermon. We will celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ is alive, and He lives forevermore. May God bless you all. Amen.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Maundy Thursday -- John 13:12-17
Today is a day known as either Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday on the Christian calendar. This is the day during Holy Week when Jesus meet with His disciples in the Upper Room. Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disciples instituting the sacrament of communion. During the course of the evening, Jesus shared with His disciples several important teachings that have become known as the Upper Room Discourse.
One act that Jesus performed during Maundy Thursday is what I want to focus upon in today's post. While the disciples were reclining around the dinner table, Jesus got up, took off His outer garment, obtained a basin of water and He began to wash His disciples feet.
Washing of feet was necessary in the day in which Jesus walked the earth. The people wore sandals. The roads were dusty, and when someone entered a home, it was proper etiquette to wash a person's feet.
The job of washing someone's sweaty, dirty and stinking feet was considered the lowest type of job that there was. This task was reserved for the servants in the home.
This is what is so striking about what Jesus did on Maundy Thursday. He was the Lord and Master of the universe. He was the teacher and Lord of the disciples who were reclining around the table. However, Jesus took it upon Himself to take the place of a servant and wash His disciple's feet.
When Jesus came to Peter, Peter resisted. He said to Jesus, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus told Peter that if He didn't wash his feet, that Peter could have no part with Him. Peter said that if that was the case that Jesus could wash his head and hands as well.
What does Jesus' action on Maundy Thursday have to teach us? I think that there are at least two important messages we should focus on today.
Jesus took upon Himself the role of a servant when He left Heaven to come to this earth. He humbled Himself. First, Jesus came in the form of a helpless infant. Then He lived a holy life as our perfect example. Jesus further humbled Himself by dying on the cross and suffering in agony so that we might be redeemed from our sins and have new life in Him. Jesus came and washed our sins away. Our hearts and souls were filthy with sin just like the dirty feet that Jesus washed on Maundy Thursday. By His shed blood on the cross, Jesus has washed our sins away. Though our sins were as scarlet, we are made white as snow by the blood of Jesus.
Jesus' actions on Maundy Thursday also demonstrate for us the way that we as His followers are to act in the world. We are to have the nature of servants. We are to go into this world and seek to serve others and help them. The most important way in which we do this is by sharing the message of salvation and the love of Jesus with those whom we know and with those whom we come into contact. We also serve when we give of our time, talents and our resources to help make this world a better place and to help the least of these who are among us.
We must have the same attitude of humility that was expressed by Jesus Christ in the Upper Room. We must not seek to be served but to serve. Let us always look to the example of our and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Tomorrow, I will have a short message for Good Friday. The Weekend Sermon will be posted on Saturday this week. May God bless you all. Amen.
One act that Jesus performed during Maundy Thursday is what I want to focus upon in today's post. While the disciples were reclining around the dinner table, Jesus got up, took off His outer garment, obtained a basin of water and He began to wash His disciples feet.
Washing of feet was necessary in the day in which Jesus walked the earth. The people wore sandals. The roads were dusty, and when someone entered a home, it was proper etiquette to wash a person's feet.
The job of washing someone's sweaty, dirty and stinking feet was considered the lowest type of job that there was. This task was reserved for the servants in the home.
This is what is so striking about what Jesus did on Maundy Thursday. He was the Lord and Master of the universe. He was the teacher and Lord of the disciples who were reclining around the table. However, Jesus took it upon Himself to take the place of a servant and wash His disciple's feet.
When Jesus came to Peter, Peter resisted. He said to Jesus, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus told Peter that if He didn't wash his feet, that Peter could have no part with Him. Peter said that if that was the case that Jesus could wash his head and hands as well.
What does Jesus' action on Maundy Thursday have to teach us? I think that there are at least two important messages we should focus on today.
Jesus took upon Himself the role of a servant when He left Heaven to come to this earth. He humbled Himself. First, Jesus came in the form of a helpless infant. Then He lived a holy life as our perfect example. Jesus further humbled Himself by dying on the cross and suffering in agony so that we might be redeemed from our sins and have new life in Him. Jesus came and washed our sins away. Our hearts and souls were filthy with sin just like the dirty feet that Jesus washed on Maundy Thursday. By His shed blood on the cross, Jesus has washed our sins away. Though our sins were as scarlet, we are made white as snow by the blood of Jesus.
Jesus' actions on Maundy Thursday also demonstrate for us the way that we as His followers are to act in the world. We are to have the nature of servants. We are to go into this world and seek to serve others and help them. The most important way in which we do this is by sharing the message of salvation and the love of Jesus with those whom we know and with those whom we come into contact. We also serve when we give of our time, talents and our resources to help make this world a better place and to help the least of these who are among us.
We must have the same attitude of humility that was expressed by Jesus Christ in the Upper Room. We must not seek to be served but to serve. Let us always look to the example of our and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Tomorrow, I will have a short message for Good Friday. The Weekend Sermon will be posted on Saturday this week. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Some Thoughts on Wednesday
Usually, I post book reviews and recommendations on Wednesdays. Today, I just wanted to do something different. I wanted to just write about something that I've noticed since I've been working at my current job.
For the past few years, I've noticed that the way we communicate with each other in this society has become much less civil. Since I began my current job, I've noticed this more and more. There is not a day that goes by when I am not called some type of vulgar name or treated with great disrespect. Unfortunately, much of this abuse comes from church people. Some of the nastiest people I've had to deal with have been ministers or people that have mentioned that they were affiliated with the church.
This type of action brings to mind two verses of Scripture that all of us who follow Jesus need to be cognizant of. First of all in Ephesians 4:32, Paul reminds us, "Be ye kind to one another." Jesus tells us in John 13:34, "Love one another as I have loved you."
As followers of Jesus, we need to be respectful of others and treat them the way that we would like to be treated. Jesus told us about this when He gave us the Golden Rule. As believers in Jesus, we have opportunities each day to speak words that lift people up and not words that tear people down.
I know that life can be frustrating, but before we say something hurtful and offensive to someone else, let us think about how Jesus would act and what Jesus would say in that situation. I believe that if we all would do that, we could help our world to be a better place to live in, and we would bring honor and glory to the Lord.
For the past few years, I've noticed that the way we communicate with each other in this society has become much less civil. Since I began my current job, I've noticed this more and more. There is not a day that goes by when I am not called some type of vulgar name or treated with great disrespect. Unfortunately, much of this abuse comes from church people. Some of the nastiest people I've had to deal with have been ministers or people that have mentioned that they were affiliated with the church.
This type of action brings to mind two verses of Scripture that all of us who follow Jesus need to be cognizant of. First of all in Ephesians 4:32, Paul reminds us, "Be ye kind to one another." Jesus tells us in John 13:34, "Love one another as I have loved you."
As followers of Jesus, we need to be respectful of others and treat them the way that we would like to be treated. Jesus told us about this when He gave us the Golden Rule. As believers in Jesus, we have opportunities each day to speak words that lift people up and not words that tear people down.
I know that life can be frustrating, but before we say something hurtful and offensive to someone else, let us think about how Jesus would act and what Jesus would say in that situation. I believe that if we all would do that, we could help our world to be a better place to live in, and we would bring honor and glory to the Lord.
Monday, March 21, 2016
Verses For the Week
This week we continue to make our way through the Beatitudes. Here are this week's memory verses.
Matthew 5:9 -- "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. "
Isaiah 40:5 -- "The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together, For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
Matthew 5:9 -- "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God. "
Isaiah 40:5 -- "The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together, For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
Friday, March 18, 2016
Weekend Sermon -- Apostles' Creed -- "He Descended into Hell"
I am very glad to be back with you once again for another edition of the Weekend Sermon. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I pray each day that those who read these sermons might receive some benefit from them. My great desire is that someone who has not trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord will read the sermons and come to faith in the Lord Jesus.
This week has gone fairly well. My health seems to have stabilized, and I am thankful to the Lord and for your prayers. I am still working at the same job. Please pray that I can find a job in full-time ministry as that is the desire of my heart.
In prayer this week, please continue to pray for those affected by the extreme flooding in Texas and Louisiana. This is truly a terrible situation. Also, please pray for those who are suffering with the Zika virus. Let us pray that this virus will end.
Something that I really would like everyone to concentrate their prayers on this week is the situation that Christians are facing in the Middle East. Christians are facing horrific persecution in Syria and in Iraq. Let us pray that this will end. Pray that our brothers and sisters in Christ will find safety from relentless persecution.
Let us continue to pray for the spread of the message of Jesus around the world. Please pray for Tajikistan, Comoros, Somalia and Myanmar this week.
For the past several weeks now, we have been studying the Apostles' Creed and what it has to teach us. Last week, we focused on the atonement of Jesus on the cross. I want to continue with that a little bit this week and also focus on the next section of the Apostles' Creed.
One thing that always moves me greatly when I meditate on Jesus' crucifixion is His statement recorded in Luke 23:34. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." The love of Jesus is truly amazing. He was even willing to forgive those who nailed Him to the cross and hurled insults and hate at him.
If Jesus was willing to forgive those who crucified Him, He is willing to forgive anyone who comes to Him in repentance and faith. Jesus wants to save any person who will turn their life over to Him and trust in Him.
Since Jesus was willing to forgive us and those around His cross, we ought to be willing to forgive those who sin against us. I know that this is a hard thing to do, but we have the example of our Lord. When we face the difficulty of forgiving those who have hurt us, we must look to Jesus for strength to do the right thing.
The cross is about forgiveness. God loved us and gave us His Son so that whoever would believe in Him might be saved.
Now, I want to look at the death of Jesus for a few moments. The Bible makes it quite clear that Jesus actually died a literal, physical death. There were some false teachings in the earliest days of the church that said that Jesus only appeared to have a physical body, so He didn't really die. This is not the teaching of the Bible. Jesus suffered physical death. Jesus bore our sins on the cross, and He died in our place.
A few years ago, it was popular in some more liberal theological circles to doubt the fact that Jesus really died. One way that some tried to explain the resurrection was to say that Jesus was just in a coma when He was placed in the grave. Later, He revived and came out of the tomb. That is why His followers thought He rose from the dead.
The Creed will have none of that. Jesus died and was buried in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. He tasted death and was the victor over it.
Jesus' physical death was part of the suffering that He endured for us. It is part of His identification with us as our High Priest. Jesus knows what it is to experience death, so He can comfort us and help us in our experience.
After Jesus' burial, the Creed uses the phrase, "He descended into Hell". Some versions of the Creed say, "He descended to the grave." The Bible is not very clear on where Jesus was is spirit when He was in the grave. When we went through our study of I Peter, we came across a controversial passage that I discussed where it states that Jesus preached to those who were in Hell. Some believe that Jesus went and proclaimed victory over the forces of darkness during the time His body was in the tomb. Others believe that He went and preached to those in Hell giving them an opportunity to accept Him and get out of Hell. For a fuller discussion of this, you can read the sermon I posted about this.
The Bible makes it clear that death is the enemy of God, and it is the final enemy that is defeated. The powers of death tried to keep Jesus in the grave. Death is the consequence of sin. When sin came into this world through the first Adam's disobedience, death passed upon all people because every person has sinned.
When Jesus was on the cross, He bore our sins and the punishment for sin. When He rose again, as we will see more next week, He conquered the consequences of sin. The grave could not hold Jesus. The powers of Hell could not hold Jesus. He was the victor. All the powers of sin, death and Hell have been defeated.
That is what I want us to focus on so much today. Jesus is victorious. When we face the powers of darkness in our lives, sometimes we feel that we can't overcome. Temptation seems to always get the best of us. We can't seem to get the victory over things in our lives. Jesus is victorious. If we look to Him and trust in Him, we can know without a shadow of a doubt that His love fills us and we cannot ultimately be defeated.
When we face temptation and dark times in life, I believe that one way to overcome is by focusing on the great of love of Jesus such as what we talked about when Jesus forgave those who crucified Him. If we meditate on the love of Jesus, the light of His precious love will drive the darkness from our hearts and minds and we can have victory.
As I have stated on the blog previously, I have suffered with depression since I was in my late teens. I have had some really good periods, and I have had some bleak times when I did not know if I would make it. The darkness was really dark at times. One thing that helped me make it through was concentrating on the love of Jesus. When I would focus on love and light, the power of Jesus would drive back the darkness and help me to make it through another hard day.
I also focused on Jesus' love through all the good things He had provided for me. He had given me a good home, my parents and my friend Toby.
Today, when I am facing a dark time, I focus on Jesus' love, and it feels in my heart like Jesus is right there in the room with me strengthening me and taking care of me. As I've said before, I would never be able to make it without Jesus.
Jesus won the battle over the powers of darkness. He will give us strength when we turn to Him.
I didn't plan it this way, but our study of the Apostles' Creed will bring us just where we want to be next week when we focus on the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Next week, I will post the memory verses on Monday. On Wednesday, I am not yet sure what I will post. I may post a review, but I have something that I have wanted to post for awhile, so I may do that. With next week being Holy Week, I will have posts for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. With that being the case, I will post the sermon on Saturday next week. May God bless you all, and may you experience the love of Jesus this week. Amen.
This week has gone fairly well. My health seems to have stabilized, and I am thankful to the Lord and for your prayers. I am still working at the same job. Please pray that I can find a job in full-time ministry as that is the desire of my heart.
In prayer this week, please continue to pray for those affected by the extreme flooding in Texas and Louisiana. This is truly a terrible situation. Also, please pray for those who are suffering with the Zika virus. Let us pray that this virus will end.
Something that I really would like everyone to concentrate their prayers on this week is the situation that Christians are facing in the Middle East. Christians are facing horrific persecution in Syria and in Iraq. Let us pray that this will end. Pray that our brothers and sisters in Christ will find safety from relentless persecution.
Let us continue to pray for the spread of the message of Jesus around the world. Please pray for Tajikistan, Comoros, Somalia and Myanmar this week.
For the past several weeks now, we have been studying the Apostles' Creed and what it has to teach us. Last week, we focused on the atonement of Jesus on the cross. I want to continue with that a little bit this week and also focus on the next section of the Apostles' Creed.
One thing that always moves me greatly when I meditate on Jesus' crucifixion is His statement recorded in Luke 23:34. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." The love of Jesus is truly amazing. He was even willing to forgive those who nailed Him to the cross and hurled insults and hate at him.
If Jesus was willing to forgive those who crucified Him, He is willing to forgive anyone who comes to Him in repentance and faith. Jesus wants to save any person who will turn their life over to Him and trust in Him.
Since Jesus was willing to forgive us and those around His cross, we ought to be willing to forgive those who sin against us. I know that this is a hard thing to do, but we have the example of our Lord. When we face the difficulty of forgiving those who have hurt us, we must look to Jesus for strength to do the right thing.
The cross is about forgiveness. God loved us and gave us His Son so that whoever would believe in Him might be saved.
Now, I want to look at the death of Jesus for a few moments. The Bible makes it quite clear that Jesus actually died a literal, physical death. There were some false teachings in the earliest days of the church that said that Jesus only appeared to have a physical body, so He didn't really die. This is not the teaching of the Bible. Jesus suffered physical death. Jesus bore our sins on the cross, and He died in our place.
A few years ago, it was popular in some more liberal theological circles to doubt the fact that Jesus really died. One way that some tried to explain the resurrection was to say that Jesus was just in a coma when He was placed in the grave. Later, He revived and came out of the tomb. That is why His followers thought He rose from the dead.
The Creed will have none of that. Jesus died and was buried in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. He tasted death and was the victor over it.
Jesus' physical death was part of the suffering that He endured for us. It is part of His identification with us as our High Priest. Jesus knows what it is to experience death, so He can comfort us and help us in our experience.
After Jesus' burial, the Creed uses the phrase, "He descended into Hell". Some versions of the Creed say, "He descended to the grave." The Bible is not very clear on where Jesus was is spirit when He was in the grave. When we went through our study of I Peter, we came across a controversial passage that I discussed where it states that Jesus preached to those who were in Hell. Some believe that Jesus went and proclaimed victory over the forces of darkness during the time His body was in the tomb. Others believe that He went and preached to those in Hell giving them an opportunity to accept Him and get out of Hell. For a fuller discussion of this, you can read the sermon I posted about this.
The Bible makes it clear that death is the enemy of God, and it is the final enemy that is defeated. The powers of death tried to keep Jesus in the grave. Death is the consequence of sin. When sin came into this world through the first Adam's disobedience, death passed upon all people because every person has sinned.
When Jesus was on the cross, He bore our sins and the punishment for sin. When He rose again, as we will see more next week, He conquered the consequences of sin. The grave could not hold Jesus. The powers of Hell could not hold Jesus. He was the victor. All the powers of sin, death and Hell have been defeated.
That is what I want us to focus on so much today. Jesus is victorious. When we face the powers of darkness in our lives, sometimes we feel that we can't overcome. Temptation seems to always get the best of us. We can't seem to get the victory over things in our lives. Jesus is victorious. If we look to Him and trust in Him, we can know without a shadow of a doubt that His love fills us and we cannot ultimately be defeated.
When we face temptation and dark times in life, I believe that one way to overcome is by focusing on the great of love of Jesus such as what we talked about when Jesus forgave those who crucified Him. If we meditate on the love of Jesus, the light of His precious love will drive the darkness from our hearts and minds and we can have victory.
As I have stated on the blog previously, I have suffered with depression since I was in my late teens. I have had some really good periods, and I have had some bleak times when I did not know if I would make it. The darkness was really dark at times. One thing that helped me make it through was concentrating on the love of Jesus. When I would focus on love and light, the power of Jesus would drive back the darkness and help me to make it through another hard day.
I also focused on Jesus' love through all the good things He had provided for me. He had given me a good home, my parents and my friend Toby.
Today, when I am facing a dark time, I focus on Jesus' love, and it feels in my heart like Jesus is right there in the room with me strengthening me and taking care of me. As I've said before, I would never be able to make it without Jesus.
Jesus won the battle over the powers of darkness. He will give us strength when we turn to Him.
I didn't plan it this way, but our study of the Apostles' Creed will bring us just where we want to be next week when we focus on the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Next week, I will post the memory verses on Monday. On Wednesday, I am not yet sure what I will post. I may post a review, but I have something that I have wanted to post for awhile, so I may do that. With next week being Holy Week, I will have posts for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. With that being the case, I will post the sermon on Saturday next week. May God bless you all, and may you experience the love of Jesus this week. Amen.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Music Recommendations
Today, I wanted to do a little something different with the review post. Instead of reviewing or recommending books, I wanted to recommend a few of the Jazz, Classical and Religious recordings that I have been enjoying lately.
As I have mentioned in the past, Jazz and Classical are my favorite types of music. One of my very favorite Jazz records is "To Bird With Love" by clarinetist Eddie Daniels. Every track on this recording is superb, but I especially like his version of "East of the Sun".
I am also a big fan of Dave Frishberg. I enjoy his vocals, but I also think he is an excellent pianist. His CD "Dave Frishberg By Himself" gives ample opportunity to hear some fine Jazz piano.
Last years release by Heads of State called "Search For Peace" was my choice for Jazz album of the year. This group of Jazz veterans is in fine form. It is another album where every track is well worth listening to over and over again.
For those of you who aren't that familiar with Jazz, I would recommend listening to Miles Davis' recording "Kind of Blue" and Dave Brubeck's "Time Out". Also, take the time to listen to what I think is the best Jazz recording ever -- "The Blues and the Abstract Truth" by Oliver Nelson. This record features trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and saxophonist Eric Dolphy at their finest.
On the Classical side, I have been listening to a lot of Ralph Vaughn Williams lately. He, Benjamin Britten, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky are among my very favorite composers. There are a number of great recordings of Ralph Vaughn Williams' work on the EMI label.
There are a number of recordings of Rachmaninoff's Symphony Number 2 and his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini that I enjoy. Try to find the Rachmaninoff piano pieces as recorded by Phillipe Entremont. They are excellent.
Benjamin Britten's Simple Symphony is a nice piece. I got to hear that piece performed live awhile back. The orchestra did a magnificent job.
Finally, I would heartily recommend the works of John Rutter in the religious music department. When I was in the college choir, we performed Rutter's Requiem. I've not really heard a Rutter piece that I did not like. Try to find Rutter compositions performed by the Cambridge Singers.
As I have mentioned in the past, Jazz and Classical are my favorite types of music. One of my very favorite Jazz records is "To Bird With Love" by clarinetist Eddie Daniels. Every track on this recording is superb, but I especially like his version of "East of the Sun".
I am also a big fan of Dave Frishberg. I enjoy his vocals, but I also think he is an excellent pianist. His CD "Dave Frishberg By Himself" gives ample opportunity to hear some fine Jazz piano.
Last years release by Heads of State called "Search For Peace" was my choice for Jazz album of the year. This group of Jazz veterans is in fine form. It is another album where every track is well worth listening to over and over again.
For those of you who aren't that familiar with Jazz, I would recommend listening to Miles Davis' recording "Kind of Blue" and Dave Brubeck's "Time Out". Also, take the time to listen to what I think is the best Jazz recording ever -- "The Blues and the Abstract Truth" by Oliver Nelson. This record features trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and saxophonist Eric Dolphy at their finest.
On the Classical side, I have been listening to a lot of Ralph Vaughn Williams lately. He, Benjamin Britten, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky are among my very favorite composers. There are a number of great recordings of Ralph Vaughn Williams' work on the EMI label.
There are a number of recordings of Rachmaninoff's Symphony Number 2 and his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini that I enjoy. Try to find the Rachmaninoff piano pieces as recorded by Phillipe Entremont. They are excellent.
Benjamin Britten's Simple Symphony is a nice piece. I got to hear that piece performed live awhile back. The orchestra did a magnificent job.
Finally, I would heartily recommend the works of John Rutter in the religious music department. When I was in the college choir, we performed Rutter's Requiem. I've not really heard a Rutter piece that I did not like. Try to find Rutter compositions performed by the Cambridge Singers.
Monday, March 14, 2016
Verses For the Week
Here are the new memory verses for this week. I hope that everyone is successfully memorizing the verses.
Matthew 5:8 -- " Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
Galatians 6:7 -- "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap."
Matthew 5:8 -- " Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
Galatians 6:7 -- "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap."
Friday, March 11, 2016
Weekend Sermon -- Apostles' Creed -- "Was Crucified, Dead and Buried."
Thank you for joining me this week for another edition of the Weekend Sermon. I enjoy being able to post these messages each week. I hope that everyone is having a good day.
I have had a pretty good week. The weather has been nice, and I went out and worked in the yard on my days off. I am trying to stay at my job until the performance bonus is paid off, and then I am going to look for different work. The stress of the current job is starting to affect my health. Please pray that I will be able to keep going. Pray that I can find a job doing something that helps people. As I've said, I'd like to get work in full-time ministry.
In prayer this week, please pray for those suffering as a result of the flooding in the the southern part of the United States. Some areas have received over 18 inches of rain. Also, please pray for an end to the wars and conflicts in this world. Pray for peace in Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan and Iraq.
As we pray for the spread of the message of Jesus around the world this week, let's continue to focus on those areas where there aren't that many Christians. Pray for the people of Cambodia, Taiwan, Malaysia and Iran.
For the past several weeks now, we have been in a series of messages focusing on the Apostles' Creed. We have been examining the Creed phrase by phrase to see what this Creed teaches us about the important doctrinal matters of the Christian faith.
Today, we turn our attention to the phrase, "Was crucified, dead and buried." This short phrase contains much that we will focus on today.
First of all, Jesus suffered a terrible type of death. Death by crucifixion is one of the most ghastly things dreamed up in the minds of people. It is a humiliating and agonizing type of death. Jesus was willing to suffer death on a cross because He loved us with a great love, and He wanted to redeem us from our sins.
One area that I would like to examine today is what Jesus death accomplished. How did Jesus' death on the cross provide atonement for our sins? This is a question that theologians have wrestled with for centuries.
Let's look at a few of the the theories of the atonement that theologians have come up with over the years. One of the first theories of the atonement that was widely held in the early days of the church was the ransom theory. One version of this theory held that Jesus' death was a ransom paid to the devil to release humanity from sin.
Irenaeus, who was an important early church theologian, developed the recapitulation theory. This idea states that Jesus was the second Adam who succeeded in all the ways that the first Adam failed. If we identify with the Second Adam, we will find salvation.
St. Anselm developed the penal substitution idea of the atonement. In this view, Jesus was punished in our place for our sins. Jesus accepted the punishment that we deserved, thus allowing God to punish sins and yet justify the sinner.
The moral influence/example theory of the atonement is quite different from these other theories. It teaches that the cross demonstrates to sinful humans how much God loves them. When we look at the cross, it causes us to change our attitude about God and come to salvation. This theory was popularized by the Medieval theologian Peter Abelard.
A theory of the atonement that has become prominent today is the Christus Victor theory of Gustaf Aulen. Basically, this idea holds that Jesus' death was a victory of the powers of sin and death that kept a hold on humanity and separated people from God.
One other theory of the atonement that I want to mention is the governmental theory. This is widely held by Arminian theologians. It essentially holds that God had to demonstrate his displeasure with sin and keep up the moral order of the universe. Jesus death demonstrated how much God hates sin.
These are all interesting theories, and there are elements of truth in each of these theories. However, I believe that the Bible is quite clear in that it teaches the substitutionary atonement of Jesus. What is the substitutionary atonement?
The Bible makes it very clear that every person that has ever lived is a sinner. Romans 3:23 tells us that, "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23 goes on to tell us that the wages of sin in death. Because of our sin, we deserve punishment for our sins and eternal separation from God.
However, verses such as John 3:16 tell us that God is a God of love. He wanted to redeem us and bring us back to Himself.
Even in the Old Testament, God was moving toward the cross by giving the people an example through the sacrificial system of what the Messiah would do. When the people would bring the spotless lamb as a sin offering, they would place there hands on the lamb symbolically imputing their sin to the lamb. The spotless lamb's blood was shed to forgive the person's sin. Hebrews 10:1 tells us that the law and the sacrificial system were a shadow of the good things that were to come through Christ.
Jesus came as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. John the Baptist said this about Jesus when John saw Jesus on the banks of the Jordan River. As the sinless one, Jesus could bear our sins and receive the punishment that we deserved. He died in our place and took our sins and the punishment of death that we deserved for our sins.
The Bible is quite clear about this. Hebrews 10:10 says that we are, "sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ." Isaiah chapter 53 relates to us that Jesus was wounded for our iniquities, and the Lord laid on Jesus the iniquities of us all. Hebrews 9:28 says that, "Christ bore the sins of many."
I think that the verse that supports the substitutionary atonement of Jesus the most is found in I Peter 2:24. I Peter 2:24 says that, "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross."
Jesus lived a perfect, holy and sinless life. He took our place on the cross. While He was on the cross, our sin was imputed to Jesus and He died as the once for all sacrifice for sin.
When we call upon the name of the Lord and accept what Jesus did for us, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. Though are sins were as scarlet, we are made white as snow by the blood of Jesus. The Lord takes away our sins and we receive the imputed righteousness of Jesus. When God looks at those who are in Christ, He no longer sees our sins, God sees us clothed in the righteousness of His dearly beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
This has all been made possible because of the love of Jesus that held Him on the cross. It is possible because Jesus did for us what we could not do. Thanks be to God.
Because of what Jesus has done, He is praised for all of eternity. Revelation 5:10 says that in Heaven they cry out, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory and blessing."
Jesus died for us because He loved us. He wants to redeem everyone who will come to Him. Jesus said that whoever would come to Him, He would not cast them out. I urge you to repent of your sins and come to Jesus today. He gave His life for you, and He wants to be your Savior and Lord.
We just really scratched the surface today in our study of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Please, read the Bible and study and find out more about who Jesus is and what He did while on earth.
Next week, we will continue with our series on the Apostles' Creed. I will post a review on Wednesday and the verses on Monday. May God bless you all. Amen.
I have had a pretty good week. The weather has been nice, and I went out and worked in the yard on my days off. I am trying to stay at my job until the performance bonus is paid off, and then I am going to look for different work. The stress of the current job is starting to affect my health. Please pray that I will be able to keep going. Pray that I can find a job doing something that helps people. As I've said, I'd like to get work in full-time ministry.
In prayer this week, please pray for those suffering as a result of the flooding in the the southern part of the United States. Some areas have received over 18 inches of rain. Also, please pray for an end to the wars and conflicts in this world. Pray for peace in Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan and Iraq.
As we pray for the spread of the message of Jesus around the world this week, let's continue to focus on those areas where there aren't that many Christians. Pray for the people of Cambodia, Taiwan, Malaysia and Iran.
For the past several weeks now, we have been in a series of messages focusing on the Apostles' Creed. We have been examining the Creed phrase by phrase to see what this Creed teaches us about the important doctrinal matters of the Christian faith.
Today, we turn our attention to the phrase, "Was crucified, dead and buried." This short phrase contains much that we will focus on today.
First of all, Jesus suffered a terrible type of death. Death by crucifixion is one of the most ghastly things dreamed up in the minds of people. It is a humiliating and agonizing type of death. Jesus was willing to suffer death on a cross because He loved us with a great love, and He wanted to redeem us from our sins.
One area that I would like to examine today is what Jesus death accomplished. How did Jesus' death on the cross provide atonement for our sins? This is a question that theologians have wrestled with for centuries.
Let's look at a few of the the theories of the atonement that theologians have come up with over the years. One of the first theories of the atonement that was widely held in the early days of the church was the ransom theory. One version of this theory held that Jesus' death was a ransom paid to the devil to release humanity from sin.
Irenaeus, who was an important early church theologian, developed the recapitulation theory. This idea states that Jesus was the second Adam who succeeded in all the ways that the first Adam failed. If we identify with the Second Adam, we will find salvation.
St. Anselm developed the penal substitution idea of the atonement. In this view, Jesus was punished in our place for our sins. Jesus accepted the punishment that we deserved, thus allowing God to punish sins and yet justify the sinner.
The moral influence/example theory of the atonement is quite different from these other theories. It teaches that the cross demonstrates to sinful humans how much God loves them. When we look at the cross, it causes us to change our attitude about God and come to salvation. This theory was popularized by the Medieval theologian Peter Abelard.
A theory of the atonement that has become prominent today is the Christus Victor theory of Gustaf Aulen. Basically, this idea holds that Jesus' death was a victory of the powers of sin and death that kept a hold on humanity and separated people from God.
One other theory of the atonement that I want to mention is the governmental theory. This is widely held by Arminian theologians. It essentially holds that God had to demonstrate his displeasure with sin and keep up the moral order of the universe. Jesus death demonstrated how much God hates sin.
These are all interesting theories, and there are elements of truth in each of these theories. However, I believe that the Bible is quite clear in that it teaches the substitutionary atonement of Jesus. What is the substitutionary atonement?
The Bible makes it very clear that every person that has ever lived is a sinner. Romans 3:23 tells us that, "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23 goes on to tell us that the wages of sin in death. Because of our sin, we deserve punishment for our sins and eternal separation from God.
However, verses such as John 3:16 tell us that God is a God of love. He wanted to redeem us and bring us back to Himself.
Even in the Old Testament, God was moving toward the cross by giving the people an example through the sacrificial system of what the Messiah would do. When the people would bring the spotless lamb as a sin offering, they would place there hands on the lamb symbolically imputing their sin to the lamb. The spotless lamb's blood was shed to forgive the person's sin. Hebrews 10:1 tells us that the law and the sacrificial system were a shadow of the good things that were to come through Christ.
Jesus came as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. John the Baptist said this about Jesus when John saw Jesus on the banks of the Jordan River. As the sinless one, Jesus could bear our sins and receive the punishment that we deserved. He died in our place and took our sins and the punishment of death that we deserved for our sins.
The Bible is quite clear about this. Hebrews 10:10 says that we are, "sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ." Isaiah chapter 53 relates to us that Jesus was wounded for our iniquities, and the Lord laid on Jesus the iniquities of us all. Hebrews 9:28 says that, "Christ bore the sins of many."
I think that the verse that supports the substitutionary atonement of Jesus the most is found in I Peter 2:24. I Peter 2:24 says that, "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross."
Jesus lived a perfect, holy and sinless life. He took our place on the cross. While He was on the cross, our sin was imputed to Jesus and He died as the once for all sacrifice for sin.
When we call upon the name of the Lord and accept what Jesus did for us, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. Though are sins were as scarlet, we are made white as snow by the blood of Jesus. The Lord takes away our sins and we receive the imputed righteousness of Jesus. When God looks at those who are in Christ, He no longer sees our sins, God sees us clothed in the righteousness of His dearly beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
This has all been made possible because of the love of Jesus that held Him on the cross. It is possible because Jesus did for us what we could not do. Thanks be to God.
Because of what Jesus has done, He is praised for all of eternity. Revelation 5:10 says that in Heaven they cry out, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory and blessing."
Jesus died for us because He loved us. He wants to redeem everyone who will come to Him. Jesus said that whoever would come to Him, He would not cast them out. I urge you to repent of your sins and come to Jesus today. He gave His life for you, and He wants to be your Savior and Lord.
We just really scratched the surface today in our study of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Please, read the Bible and study and find out more about who Jesus is and what He did while on earth.
Next week, we will continue with our series on the Apostles' Creed. I will post a review on Wednesday and the verses on Monday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Book Review -- "Cat Shout For Joy"
Today is a good day because I get to post a very positive review about the newest book in a series of mysteries that is my favorite. "Cat Shout For Joy" is the 19th book in the Joe Grey mystery series written by Shirley Rousseau Murphy.
For those of you who aren't familiar with the series, Joe Grey is a cat who has the power of speech. He is part of a rare line of cats with this power. Joe's friends Dulcie, Kit, Pan and Misto are also able to speak.
In "Cat Shout For Joy" there are a lot of things going on, but the mystery solving element is certainly prominent. Dulcie is expecting kittens, Pan and Kit are exploring a magical realm, and Misto is living out his last days. All this leaves Joe to do most of the crime fighting.
All of the stories in "Cat Shout For Joy" are interesting and weave together to make the book among the best in the series.
If you haven't read the series before, I don't recommend that you start with this book. The book is definitely written for long-time fans of the series. New readers are not going to really know what is going on and who the characters are.
All of the Joe Grey books are in print, so I recommend that you start with book one called "Cat On the Edge" and just keep reading until you finish "Cat Shout For Joy."
For those familiar with the series, I think that this book let's us know that maybe Max Harper knows more about the identity of his informants than he has let on in the past. Hopefully there will be another Joe Grey book soon, and more will be revealed about this.
For those of you who aren't familiar with the series, Joe Grey is a cat who has the power of speech. He is part of a rare line of cats with this power. Joe's friends Dulcie, Kit, Pan and Misto are also able to speak.
In "Cat Shout For Joy" there are a lot of things going on, but the mystery solving element is certainly prominent. Dulcie is expecting kittens, Pan and Kit are exploring a magical realm, and Misto is living out his last days. All this leaves Joe to do most of the crime fighting.
All of the stories in "Cat Shout For Joy" are interesting and weave together to make the book among the best in the series.
If you haven't read the series before, I don't recommend that you start with this book. The book is definitely written for long-time fans of the series. New readers are not going to really know what is going on and who the characters are.
All of the Joe Grey books are in print, so I recommend that you start with book one called "Cat On the Edge" and just keep reading until you finish "Cat Shout For Joy."
For those familiar with the series, I think that this book let's us know that maybe Max Harper knows more about the identity of his informants than he has let on in the past. Hopefully there will be another Joe Grey book soon, and more will be revealed about this.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Verses For the Week
Here are two new verses to memorize.
Matthew 5:7 -- "Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy."
I Corinthians 15:22 -- "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive."
Matthew 5:7 -- "Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy."
I Corinthians 15:22 -- "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive."
Friday, March 4, 2016
Weekend Sermon -- Apostles' Creed -- "Suffered Under Pontius Pilate Part 2"
Hello, and welcome to another posting of the Weekend Sermon. It is very good to be able to post the sermon again this week. I pray that all of you are doing well.
I have had a busy week at work and working around the house. I'm trying to get the last draft of my book done, but I have been delayed. I am feeling a little bit better. Tomorrow is my friend's memorial service. I would ask that you please pray for his family during this time of sorrow and hardship. Also, please pray that my roof doesn't have any more problems.
As we go to prayer this week, please pray for the problems that are facing this world. Pray that people would care about the environment and seek to protect the planet. Pray for an answer to the migrant crisis in Europe. Pray for those suffering as a result of disease and natural disaster.
Let us continue to pray that the message of the love of Jesus might continue to reach people all around the world. Please pray for the nations of Benin, Sierra Leone, Vietnam and Nepal.
For the past several weeks, we have been studying a series of messages concerning what the Apostles' Creed has to teach us. In last week's message, we began examining the phrase, "He suffered under Pontius Pilate." We focused on the fact of the historical reality of the ministry of Jesus Christ. We also touched on the fact that Jesus suffered for us.
I would like to pick up on the theme of the sufferings of Jesus in the message for today. Jesus certainly did suffer under Pontius Pilate. Jesus was beaten and mocked in a cruel and inhuman manner by Pilate and his Roman soldiers. Jesus suffered the terrible pain and humiliation of crucifixion. I can't even imagine the pain that Jesus suffered for us as He went through His ordeal before Pilate and on the cross. To think that Jesus suffered so that I might be redeemed makes me love the Lord Jesus and want to do what is pleasing to Him.
As I've thought about the sufferings of Jesus for the past several days, I have thought about the ways in which Jesus suffered and the ways I think that He suffers even now. I think that we can see quite clearly from the Bible that Jesus experienced suffering on various levels while He was here on earth.
First of all, as I mentioned briefly last week, Jesus suffered due to the fact that He took upon Himself the form of a servant and left the glories of Heaven to be born among us. That in my mind would have been a great form of suffering.
Jesus also suffered many of the things that we go through in life. For instance, Jesus experienced the sorrow of losing those who were close to Him. I think it is quite evident that Joseph died before Jesus began His ministry. I am without doubt that Jesus would have felt deep sorrow at the loss of the man who was His earthly father. Jesus also suffered the loss of a friend. Jesus wept when His friend Lazarus died.
Jesus also suffered as a result of being misunderstood throughout His life. People ridiculed the circumstances of His birth, and the people of His hometown of Nazareth didn't want to listen to what He had to say. At one point, Jesus' cousin John the Baptist even expressed some doubt as to who Jesus was.
Jesus also suffered rejection on different levels. He was rejected by those He had come to save. The Bible says that He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. The Bible also said that Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem knowing that they would not heed the message that He was bringing to them. In fact, when offered the choice by Pilate of Jesus or Barabbas the criminal, the people chose Barabbas. They said that they would not have Jesus to reign over them. They shouted for Jesus to be crucified. At one point, Jesus even experienced the rejection of His family. The Gospels record that Jesus' brothers mocked Him in John 7 and once they thought Jesus was insane and tried to take Him away.
I think that one of the things that caused Jesus great suffering in the world was when He was betrayed by someone who pretended to be His friend. When someone who is close to you turns their back on you, it hurts very deeply. There is no emotional hurt like it.
One other way that Jesus suffered while on this earth was that it broke His heart to see people in the state that they were in. It hurt Jesus that people were in spiritual distress like sheep without a shepherd. It hurt Him to see so many people that were sick and hurting mentally and physically.
These are just some of the ways that I believe Jesus suffered while He was on earth. However, there are things that I believe bring suffering to Jesus even now.
I think that it hurts Jesus' heart when He looks at what people have done in His name that is wrong and hurtful. When people are violent in the name of Jesus and harm others, this causes pain to the Lord.
When those who claim to be His followers do not act in the manner that He taught them to act, this causes Jesus suffering. So many say Lord, Lord, yet they do not do what He says. We see a world that is hurting and in need, yet we pass by on the other side and do not stop to aid those who need to experience the love of Jesus through us.
Jesus feels the suffering of rejection even today. Only 30 percent of the people of this world are Christians in any form. Roughly 70 percent of the world's population has rejected Jesus and turned to other gods or no god at all. Even though Jesus has given His life for this world, this world still turns its back on Him.
I believe that Jesus suffers when He sees the current state of the church. There is so much fighting and disunity in the body of Christ that it must cause Jesus great sorrow.
Because Jesus knows what it is to suffer, it allows Him to comfort us in the midst of our sufferings in this life. Hebrews 4:15 says it this way, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points temped like as we are, yet without sin." Jesus has been were we are, so He know what we are going through.
When I have experienced times of hardship in my life, it has been comforting to realize that Jesus is with me and helping me. He can be with me in a special way, because He knows what I am going through. He understands. He has been there.
When I lost those who were closest to me, I knew that Jesus lost so many He loved, and He speaks peace to my heart and comforts me with the knowledge of one who has experienced the same thing.
Jesus experienced the sufferings and hardships of this life. He can help you through the most difficult circumstances you face. He simply wants us to ask Him to help us. He is always with us whether we realize it or not, because Jesus said that He would never leave us or forsake us. He is full of compassion, and we can cast all of our cares upon Him because He cares for us.
If you have not turned your life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, you don't know what you are missing. Jesus is the best friend that you could ever have. He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. If you turn to Him, He will forgive you, and He will be by your side throughout this life, and you will be with Him in His presence in the world that is to come.
Next week, we will continue our Apostles' Creed series by examining the phrase, "He was crucified, dead and buried." In this message, I want to examine the various ideas of the atonement that have been prominent in Christian history. On Monday, I will post more memory verses. I will have a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
I have had a busy week at work and working around the house. I'm trying to get the last draft of my book done, but I have been delayed. I am feeling a little bit better. Tomorrow is my friend's memorial service. I would ask that you please pray for his family during this time of sorrow and hardship. Also, please pray that my roof doesn't have any more problems.
As we go to prayer this week, please pray for the problems that are facing this world. Pray that people would care about the environment and seek to protect the planet. Pray for an answer to the migrant crisis in Europe. Pray for those suffering as a result of disease and natural disaster.
Let us continue to pray that the message of the love of Jesus might continue to reach people all around the world. Please pray for the nations of Benin, Sierra Leone, Vietnam and Nepal.
For the past several weeks, we have been studying a series of messages concerning what the Apostles' Creed has to teach us. In last week's message, we began examining the phrase, "He suffered under Pontius Pilate." We focused on the fact of the historical reality of the ministry of Jesus Christ. We also touched on the fact that Jesus suffered for us.
I would like to pick up on the theme of the sufferings of Jesus in the message for today. Jesus certainly did suffer under Pontius Pilate. Jesus was beaten and mocked in a cruel and inhuman manner by Pilate and his Roman soldiers. Jesus suffered the terrible pain and humiliation of crucifixion. I can't even imagine the pain that Jesus suffered for us as He went through His ordeal before Pilate and on the cross. To think that Jesus suffered so that I might be redeemed makes me love the Lord Jesus and want to do what is pleasing to Him.
As I've thought about the sufferings of Jesus for the past several days, I have thought about the ways in which Jesus suffered and the ways I think that He suffers even now. I think that we can see quite clearly from the Bible that Jesus experienced suffering on various levels while He was here on earth.
First of all, as I mentioned briefly last week, Jesus suffered due to the fact that He took upon Himself the form of a servant and left the glories of Heaven to be born among us. That in my mind would have been a great form of suffering.
Jesus also suffered many of the things that we go through in life. For instance, Jesus experienced the sorrow of losing those who were close to Him. I think it is quite evident that Joseph died before Jesus began His ministry. I am without doubt that Jesus would have felt deep sorrow at the loss of the man who was His earthly father. Jesus also suffered the loss of a friend. Jesus wept when His friend Lazarus died.
Jesus also suffered as a result of being misunderstood throughout His life. People ridiculed the circumstances of His birth, and the people of His hometown of Nazareth didn't want to listen to what He had to say. At one point, Jesus' cousin John the Baptist even expressed some doubt as to who Jesus was.
Jesus also suffered rejection on different levels. He was rejected by those He had come to save. The Bible says that He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. The Bible also said that Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem knowing that they would not heed the message that He was bringing to them. In fact, when offered the choice by Pilate of Jesus or Barabbas the criminal, the people chose Barabbas. They said that they would not have Jesus to reign over them. They shouted for Jesus to be crucified. At one point, Jesus even experienced the rejection of His family. The Gospels record that Jesus' brothers mocked Him in John 7 and once they thought Jesus was insane and tried to take Him away.
I think that one of the things that caused Jesus great suffering in the world was when He was betrayed by someone who pretended to be His friend. When someone who is close to you turns their back on you, it hurts very deeply. There is no emotional hurt like it.
One other way that Jesus suffered while on this earth was that it broke His heart to see people in the state that they were in. It hurt Jesus that people were in spiritual distress like sheep without a shepherd. It hurt Him to see so many people that were sick and hurting mentally and physically.
These are just some of the ways that I believe Jesus suffered while He was on earth. However, there are things that I believe bring suffering to Jesus even now.
I think that it hurts Jesus' heart when He looks at what people have done in His name that is wrong and hurtful. When people are violent in the name of Jesus and harm others, this causes pain to the Lord.
When those who claim to be His followers do not act in the manner that He taught them to act, this causes Jesus suffering. So many say Lord, Lord, yet they do not do what He says. We see a world that is hurting and in need, yet we pass by on the other side and do not stop to aid those who need to experience the love of Jesus through us.
Jesus feels the suffering of rejection even today. Only 30 percent of the people of this world are Christians in any form. Roughly 70 percent of the world's population has rejected Jesus and turned to other gods or no god at all. Even though Jesus has given His life for this world, this world still turns its back on Him.
I believe that Jesus suffers when He sees the current state of the church. There is so much fighting and disunity in the body of Christ that it must cause Jesus great sorrow.
Because Jesus knows what it is to suffer, it allows Him to comfort us in the midst of our sufferings in this life. Hebrews 4:15 says it this way, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points temped like as we are, yet without sin." Jesus has been were we are, so He know what we are going through.
When I have experienced times of hardship in my life, it has been comforting to realize that Jesus is with me and helping me. He can be with me in a special way, because He knows what I am going through. He understands. He has been there.
When I lost those who were closest to me, I knew that Jesus lost so many He loved, and He speaks peace to my heart and comforts me with the knowledge of one who has experienced the same thing.
Jesus experienced the sufferings and hardships of this life. He can help you through the most difficult circumstances you face. He simply wants us to ask Him to help us. He is always with us whether we realize it or not, because Jesus said that He would never leave us or forsake us. He is full of compassion, and we can cast all of our cares upon Him because He cares for us.
If you have not turned your life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, you don't know what you are missing. Jesus is the best friend that you could ever have. He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. If you turn to Him, He will forgive you, and He will be by your side throughout this life, and you will be with Him in His presence in the world that is to come.
Next week, we will continue our Apostles' Creed series by examining the phrase, "He was crucified, dead and buried." In this message, I want to examine the various ideas of the atonement that have been prominent in Christian history. On Monday, I will post more memory verses. I will have a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Book Recommendations
Since we are in the midst of the Lenten season, I just wanted to recommend some books that I have enjoyed. These books are about the life and ministry of Jesus.
"The Jesus I Never Knew" written by Philip Yancey is one of my favorite books about Jesus. Like all of Yancey's books, it is well-written and understandable for even those who are not that familiar with the Christian faith.
"The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions" by Marcus Borg and N.T. Wright presents two very different ideas of who Jesus is and what He did. I've always found Borg interesting to read even if I don't agree with him too much.
"24 Hours That Changed the World" by Adam Hamilton is a good book that deals with the crucifixion and its meaning to us.
"Jesus Lord and Savior" by F.F Bruce gives great insight into the ministry of Jesus. Since it is written by a theologian, it is a book better suited to those who have studied a little bit of theology.
"Simply Jesus" by N.T Wright provides a more in depth look at Jesus than in the first N.T Wright book on this list.
"A Portrait of Jesus" by Joseph Girzone is a good book about the life of Christ.
"Jesus: A Pilgrimage" by James Martin is a book that I have reviewed on the blog before. I highly recommend it.
"3:16 The Numbers of Hope" by Max Lucado is a great book about the love for us Jesus demonstrated on the cross.
This are just a very few of the good books that I have read about Jesus. I have read many, many books about Jesus and Christology from a variety of perspectives. I will recommend and review some of these at a later date.
I have been reading a lot of good books lately, and I will be reviewing these on the blog in the weeks to come.
"The Jesus I Never Knew" written by Philip Yancey is one of my favorite books about Jesus. Like all of Yancey's books, it is well-written and understandable for even those who are not that familiar with the Christian faith.
"The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions" by Marcus Borg and N.T. Wright presents two very different ideas of who Jesus is and what He did. I've always found Borg interesting to read even if I don't agree with him too much.
"24 Hours That Changed the World" by Adam Hamilton is a good book that deals with the crucifixion and its meaning to us.
"Jesus Lord and Savior" by F.F Bruce gives great insight into the ministry of Jesus. Since it is written by a theologian, it is a book better suited to those who have studied a little bit of theology.
"Simply Jesus" by N.T Wright provides a more in depth look at Jesus than in the first N.T Wright book on this list.
"A Portrait of Jesus" by Joseph Girzone is a good book about the life of Christ.
"Jesus: A Pilgrimage" by James Martin is a book that I have reviewed on the blog before. I highly recommend it.
"3:16 The Numbers of Hope" by Max Lucado is a great book about the love for us Jesus demonstrated on the cross.
This are just a very few of the good books that I have read about Jesus. I have read many, many books about Jesus and Christology from a variety of perspectives. I will recommend and review some of these at a later date.
I have been reading a lot of good books lately, and I will be reviewing these on the blog in the weeks to come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)